New guidelines for TV broadcast issued

With visual media coming under attack for its coverage of Mumbai terror attacks, the broadcasters' body today came out with guidelines which insisted on no live coverage providing information on security operations and coverage of events which gives publicity to terrorists.

The News Broadcasters Association's "self regulatory" guidelines also said no information about hostage situation and rescue operations should be provided. The guidelines further said media should avoid live contact with victims and security personnel during the crisis situation and stressed that no live reporting should be made which provides publicity to the terrorists. "News related to armed conflicts and communal violence should be shown with public interest in mind," the guidelines said.

In case of a hostage-like situation, the guidelines said no details like identity or number of hostages should be telecast.

It also asked broadcasters to avoid unnecessary repetition of archival footage which may agitate the minds of viewers.

"Dignity of those who are killed should be kept in mind while such incidents are telecast," the guidelines read. Announcing the guidelines, Justice J S Verma, who headed the committee which drafted it, said self regulation was "far more effective" than anything else.

He said these guidelines were the "first big step" in the direction of self regulation.